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Qatar Solar Technologies (QSTec) has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) committing to support utility Kahramaa with the future distribution of solar energy .

The MoU will see QSTec establish a $1bn polysilicon manufacturing plant in Ras Laffan Industrial City, Qatar. Polysilicon production will be 8000 metric tons per year (MTPY) but it will be designed to expand as demand grows. Eventually, more than 45,000 MTPY of polysilicon will be produced while the plant is being designed “to seamlessly incorporate ingots, wafers, cells and modules”.

Solar energy “is definitely emerging in Qatar and is the key to providing a sustainable alternative source of energy whilst conserving and protecting the country's natural resources for the future”, said Dr Khalid Klefeekh Al Hajri, Chairman and CEO of QSTec. “So we are extremely proud to be teaming up with Kahramaa to ensure that solar power is able to reach every single person in Qatar and provide alternative energy sources to a wide variety of solar applications."

QSTec says it hopes to graduate from only producing polysilicon to building solar modules in Qatar, with plans to then export to the rest of the world, “in the not too distant future”. The company is a joint venture formed between Qatar Solar (a wholly owned subsidiary of Qatar Foundation for Education, Science and Community Development), SolarWorld AG and Qatar Development Bank.

In Qatar, there are already some projects using solar energy. The Qatar National Food Securities Programme is looking at using solar to power its desalination plants, the 2022 World Cup will be the first carbon neutral World Cup and will be utilizing solar energy for its air conditioned solar stadiums and fan zones. QSTec's parent organisation, Qatar Foundation, also has several projects such as the Qatar National Convention Centre, the new student housing complex and the Msheireb Properties development that will derive a percentage of their electricity needs using solar energy.

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